Acclaim is a verb or noun meaning to praise enthusiastically or publicize with great approval. It typically refers to strong, favorable reception or recognition of someone’s achievements. In usage, it often appears in contexts of awards, performances, or media reception, and conveys widespread approval rather than casual acknowledgment.
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- You’ll often misplace stress by trying to emphasize the first syllable; keep the stress on the second syllable: a-CLAIM. - The /eɪ/ diphthong can be shortened in rapid speech; ensure the glide has a full /eɪ/ in careful speech. - The ending /m/ is sometimes omitted; keep it voiceless? No, voiced; finish with a clear /m/.
- US: rhoticity isn’t a factor for this word, but you’ll hear a crisp /ə/ followed by a bright /eɪ/. Mouth: neutral to slightly open, teeth barely touching for /ɪ/? No—/eɪ/ uses tongue height rising from mid to high, lips slightly spread. - UK: crisper /ə/ before /ˈkleɪm/, less vowel length variation. - AU: also /əˈkleɪm/ with similar diphthong to US; keep the final /m/ strong. Use IPA references to track the diphthong /eɪ/ accuracy; focus on lip spreading for /eɪ/ and subtle duration differences.
"The critics acclaimed the new play as a dazzling success."
"She was acclaimed for her contributions to environmental policy."
"The team received acclaim for breaking the long-standing league record."
"Fans acclaimed the singer after the concert tour sold out in minutes."
Acclaim traces to the Old French acclaime, from late Latin acclamare, meaning to clap at, to shout approval, or to cry out with joy. The word is built from ad- (toward) + clamare (to cry out, shout). In Latin, acclamare conveyed the sense of calling out in rhythm or singing praise, a sense carried into medieval and early modern literary usage in English as a term for public praise. By the 16th century, acclaim appeared in English literature to denote enthusiastic public approval, often in contexts of theatre, poetry, or political praise. The evolution reflects changing standards of approbation—from ceremonial exclamations to organized, public recognition of achievement. In modern usage, acclaim can function as both a verb (to acclaim) and a noun (acclaim), frequently collocating with nouns like critics, audience, and reception, echoing its roots in collective, vocal expressions of praise.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "acclaim" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "acclaim" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "acclaim"
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Break it as /əˈkleɪm/. The stress is on the second syllable: a-CLAIM. Start with a schwa /ə/, then /ˈkleɪ/ sounds like 'clay' but with a preceding 'k' characteristic of /k/. End with /m/. IPA: US/UK/AU share /əˈkleɪm/. Practice by saying “uh-KLAYM.” Audio reference: listen for the clean /kleɪ/ vowel and the final /m/ closure.
Two common errors: (1) Stress mistake—placing stress on the first syllable as a-Cclaim; (2) Vowel length—pronouncing /eɪ/ as a lax /e/ or a shorter diphthong. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with a clear /kleɪ/ so the mouth forms a strong /k/ + /l/ + /eɪ/ glide, ending with a crisp /m/. Ensure final /m/ is voiced rather than swallowed.
Across US, UK, and AU, the primary difference is rhoticity and vowel quality in /əˈkleɪm/. US and AU typically maintain a clear /ɚ/ reduced first syllable to /ə/; UK often keeps a slightly crisper /ə/ with less rhotic vowel variation. The stressed /eɪ/ diphthong remains /eɪ/ in all; consonants /k/ and /l/ stay the same. The main shift is vowel color and voicing of the surrounding syllables, not primary phonemes.
The difficulty lies in the two-part structure: a light first syllable with a weak schwa and a strong second syllable with a precise /eɪ/ diphthong. The contrast between /ə/ and /eɪ/ requires precise mouth shaping and timing. Additionally, the final /m/ must be clearly voiced after a closed syllable without adding a trailing sound. Mastery comes from practicing the transition between /ə/ to /eɪ/ and final /m/ in rapid speech.
In acclaim, the 'ai' is pronounced as the diphthong /eɪ/, not /ai/ in isolation. It starts with a mid-front vowel /e/ and glides toward a high front position toward /ɪ/; effectively it’s the same /eɪ/ sound as in 'cake' or 'name'. The preceding 'cl' cluster does not alter the diphthong. IPA guidance: /əˈkleɪm/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "acclaim"!
- Shadowing: listen to 10–15s of natural speech using the word; repeat with matching timing. - Minimal pairs: acclaim vs aclam? Not a pair; but practice with words sharing /ə/ + /kleɪm/ like ‘acclaim’ vs ‘acclaim’? Use pairs like /əˈkleɪm/ vs /əkˈleɪm/? Actually the minimal pair set is limited; instead focus on /ə/ vs /æ/ in similar words: acclaim vs a claim (different noun). - Rhythm: practice 4-syllable rhythm? No; 2-syllable with emphasis on 2nd: a-CLAIM. - Stress: count beats: unstressed-stressed. - Recording: record and compare to native; listen for the diphthong clarity. - Context sentences: Practice in 2 contexts: review writing and press release. - Break it into phoneme blocks: /ə/ + /ˈkleɪ/ + /m/.
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